“I’m on the right track now. I’ve never been out of jail this long. I’ve always been back in prison three days down the line. I’ve never been out for a month.”
Paul moved into a shared house in Bradford at the beginning of the year. He has since connected with fellow clients, Langley staff and Jasper, the Lead Chaplain. He shared with us the huge significance of making these meaningful connections to him and to his future.
What was it like when you first came to Langley?
I was anxious. I suffered from paranoia. I didn’t know nobody… but everybody made me feel welcome. All the staff, all the lads in the house, and it’s been like that ever since.
How has your service supported you?
It’s helped me with everything… drinking and drugs mainly because I was big-time into drinking and drugs. The staff supported me, every week they ask me about it and I’m not taking it. Jasper supports me as well, we have Friday groups and we went to the group in Coventry [Client Encounter Day, image right] and it was brilliant.
I can’t afford to go back to jail, and I don’t want to go back to jail. Now I’ve got the support and the network to make sure, and that could be all the difference.
Tell us more about your groups with your chaplain Jasper?
We just talk, we do a prayer group and before that we talk about if I’ve got problems. Whatever’s happening to me – I could be stressed, paranoid, want to drink – and they help me through it. They talk to me like a human being, not like someone that’s just walked in.
How has faith played a role for you?
I’ve always had faith, but it’s always been in the back of my head. I’ve never actually acted on it. Now I’ve got the time, I’m starting to get back into faith. I read the Bible, I say my prayers at night and in the morning. Jasper is showing me the right way. I’m just starting to get back into Jesus again.
How has Langley given you hope?
It’s given me hope that I can do this, it’s showing me that I can be the better person that I’ve always wanted to be. Drinking and drugs always took over my life but now I’m not drinking or taking drugs.
How are things for you now?
I’m on the right track now. I’ve never been out of jail this long. I’ve always been back in prison three days down the line. I’ve never been out for a month – and now it’s carrying on, and it’s going to carry on.
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